Winter Layers

[NickfromWI]

2 autumns ago I bought a long sleeve REI half-zip crew neck polypro shirt. I quickly fell in love with it and would wear it 5 days a week when it was cold. That shirt looked something like this...

My Red REI Shirt

The polypro breathes and doesn't hold on to sweat. You get wet, you get cold. The polypros would dry quickly as you switched from sweating than not sweating, working/not working. If you find yourself getting too hot, pull that zipper all the way down and cool off before you get too hot and soaked in sweat.

When things got down and dirty cold, I'd have on that red shirt, then maybe a thicker fleece over that, then finally a fleece windproof jacket zipped over that. Windproof or at least wind resistant, and STILL breathable is the key here.

I am a big fan or ear warmer-head bands. I have a couple super thin ones that I use for wear under a helmet. Super cold days get a full head cover. The one I have is thin and fits under the helmet without obstructing the fit of the helmet. It is best described as a head-warmer, not a hat or cap.

Helmet liner at REI


On super cold days I use one of several home-made polartec fleece neck warmers. AKA Neck Gaiters.

liner gloves super thin black polartec polypro under either Marmot prima-loft work gloves or the blue atlas smurf gloves on not too cold days. Actually, I wear those liners 365 days a year. I don't know why, I just like it. I'm wierd, I know.

On wet and cold days, I also put on gaiters over where my boots meet my pants. Keeps the slush out.

I love the cold and I love climbing in the cold. It can take some modifications to your daily schedule (like getting up 20 minutes earlier to put on all your winter battle-gear), but I don't know. I just like it. I hope that someone here gains one bit of info from this thread that puts them in the trees one extra day out of the year, instead of just waiting at home for warmer weather.

love
nick

 

[teressa green]

beast jacket on the market is a buffalo fleece,bit expensive but worth it ,winters not too bad over here ,wet but rarely freezing ,blame global warming ,

 

[NeTree]

I hate working in freezing weather.


<==== -5º in January when I did this pine. You bet I worked fast!

 

[MasterBlaster]

As long as my fingers and toes aren't frozen, I don't care. I can always dress for it, and when climbing, usually get too warm. It's tricky to dress proper for cold weather climbing.

 

[NeTree]

I find it's the bulk that ends up being the problem, not so much staying warm. I hate having my mobility limited by layera and layers of clothing; but I hate freezing, too.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I take solace in that our winters are only a couple weeks!

 

[kevintree]

Wool socks

wool under gloves

Wicker underwear on sale two for one!!!

Kevin

 

[Nickrosis]

I shiver until my blood thickens, then I'm usually pretty set with jeans and a sweatshirt.

 

[treeman82]

I have a couple pairs of THICK wool socks for the winter time. The problem with them for climbing trees is that with them on my feet I would need the next size up in boots. I hate it in the winter when the tops of my ears get freezing cold, I think this winter I am going to try some form of ear warmer. I just purchased a pair of supposedly good gloves from Vermeer for climbing in the winter. The jackets though are where I have problems... because I need to be warm, but at the same time if I can't get into my saddle because of the bulk, then what good is it? Or on the other side, if being in my saddle makes the jacket work its way off my body... then its kind of pointless.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Bring your clothing choices in line with your saw choices. Would anyone prefer to use points over CD ignition for day to day use? Would anyone use natural fiber ropes?

Get with modern clothing. Look at what mountaineers and skiers wear. Synthetic materials out-perform all others. Wool included. Go to Sierra Outfitters for cheap gear.

How can your ears be cold? Haven't you ever seen a stocking cap? Look at the Hip-Hop store if you can't find an outdoor supply store.

Tom

 

[MasterBlaster]

I could never climb in a stocking cap, even if it were freezing. I would overheat in a sec.

 

[wct4life]

MB,
Have you ever been in 10 degree weather with a 15 mph wind? If so, I'd think you'd change your thought on stocking caps.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Nope, no stocking cap for me. The average winter hardhat liner works just fine.

Heck, it gets that cold down here all the time!